清乾隆 景德鎮窯百鹿瓶|Vase with "One Hundred Deer" Motif

Unknown

18th century · Porcelain painted in overglaze enamels (Jingdezhen ware) · Asian Art

Deer were considered supernatural creatures in premodern China. Here, the animals cavort in a magical forest of towering pines. Thanks to the newly introduced enamel painting method, both the deer and the landscape are rendered with a rich variety of color and subtle changes in tone. This imposing vase carries a second layer of meaning as the Chinee word for deer (lu) is a homonym for “bureaucratic benefits.” One hundred deer signify the numerous social and economic benefits a man could accrue during his career

Artist

Unknown

Date

18th century

Medium

Porcelain painted in overglaze enamels (Jingdezhen ware)

Culture

China

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Mr. and Mrs. Isaac D. Fletcher Collection, Bequest of Isaac D. Fletcher, 1917